Abdominal baby band



March 1954 G. D. SWINNEY 2,672,140

ABDOMINAL BABY BAND Filed May 25, 1951 BY W i 44 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 16,1954

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,672,140 ABDOMINAL BABY BAND Geneva D. Swinney, Rockingham County, N. C.

Application May 23, 1951, Serial No. 227,809

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an abdominal band and more particularly to an abdominal band for newly born babies which is for the purpose of keeping a surgical dressing in position until the wound occurring from the severing of the umbilical cord has healed and all danger of umbilical hernia has passed. A particular object of this invention is to provide an abdominal band of the aforesaid type which may be applied to an infant by placing the same'over the infants feet and slipping it up around the infants abdomen in the desired position. This method of application which is permitted by the construction of my abdominal band is considerably more convenient than that allowed by the prior art type abdominal bands which necessitate considerable movement and turning of the infants body in order to apply or remove the band.

Another object of this invention is to provide an abdominal band whose construction including an elastic back portion permits a proper maximum support of the stomach, abdomen and internal organs and thus tends to prevent umbilical hernia.

Another object of this invention is to provide a band which may be readily adjusted so as to adapt it to the size of a baby when first born and so as to permit its continued re-adjustment to the growth of the baby. This is accomplished by means of an elastic rear portion, always of a circumference less than the babys girth, and a fabric front portion joining together the ends of the elastic rear portion, the fabric portion being of an excess length is tucked or folded under the elastic portion at its ends in order to snugly fit the infant. Tying means are provided for maintaining the adjusted or tucked fabric portion in position.

Another object of the invention is to provide securing means for retaining my abdominal infant band in position without subjecting the mbilical wound to undue pressure which could interfere with the healing rate of the wound by causing irritation. This is preferably accomplished by complementary tie means secured at each of the ends of the aforesaid elastic rear portion in a manner permitting tying to one side of the location of the umbilical wound.

Another object of this invention is to provide a continuous band which will completely encircle the infants abdomen and because of its retaining means will stay in place without subjecting the umbilical wound to undue pressure and at the same time will provide a support for the internal organs which tends to prevent hernia.

The objects set forth above and others will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the band in a fully extended or opened position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the band in the form that it will take when positioned and adjusted on an infant's body;

Figure 3 is a partial transverse sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a partial transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

With reference to the drawings and in particular to Figure 1, the improved abdominal band of this invention comprises a continuous circular band generally indicated as I 0 having a longitudinally resilient or elastic back portion I2 and a front or navel covering portion I4 of a soft fabric material such as cotton. The ends of the back portion I2 and the front portion I 4 are joined together by stitching such as that indicated at IS.

A plurality of complementary pairs of tie ribbons I8 are also fastened at the joining ends of the back and front portions I2 and I 4 by means of the stitching It so that the ends of tie ribbons l8 lie on the outer side of the back portion I2. These ribbons I8, as shown, are of a substantial width in order to prevent pinching or binding on the abdomen of the baby when tied. In addition, as shown in Figure 1, the tie ribbons I8 on one side of the abdominal band II) are considerably shorter than the complementary tie ribbons on the other side. This feature is for the purpose, as illustrated in Figure 2, of permitting the tying of the abdominal band in a correct position without having the knot portions rest directly above the unhealed wound resulting from the severing of the umbilical cord.

Preferably the front portion I 4 of the abdominal band is made of double thickness for durability as shown in Figure 5 and sewed only along one edge at 20 in order to further eliminate excess stitching which would cause uncomfortable contact with the abdomen of the baby when the band is applied.

When the band is to be placed on the infant, it is extended in the fully opened position as shown in Figure 1. It will be noted that the band opens into substantially the shape of an openended hollow cylinder, with the transverse or short dimension of the fabric and elastic portions extending axially of the cylinder, and with the longitudinal or long dimensions of the fabric and elastic portions extending circumferentially of the cylinder. The band is then slipped over the infants feet encircling them and is slid up over the legs and body portion until it rests in the correct position about the abdomen. The front portion M of the band is then tucked in at its ends as shown at 22 in Figures 2 and 4 so that the band fits snugly about the abdomen. The tie ribbons l8 are then secured as indicated above and as shown in Figure 2 so as to lie to one side of the unhealed navel. Proper tying of these tie ribbons permits a slight tensioning of th elastic back portion l2 and provides a support for the infants abdomen tending to prevent umbilical hernia and yet not so tight as to bring undue pressure on the internal organisms of the baby.

From the above description it will be apparent that the present invention provides a new and novel abdominal band for newly born babies which may be conveniently put on and removed from the infant without necessitating consider able movement and turning of the infants body. In addition, the structure of this band permits a proper maximum support of the internal organisms which tends to prevent umbilical hernia without subjecting the umbilical Wound to undue pressure and yet retains a surgical dressing in proper position.

The foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not limiting to the scope of the invention which is set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. An abdominal baby band openable into substantially the shape of an open-ended hollow cylinder, said band having an elastic back portion and a fabric front portion joined together end to end, with complementary tie means fixed adjacent each pair of joined ends for adjusting and tensioning said band.

2. An abdominal baby band openable into substantially the shape of an open-ended hollow cylinder, said band having an elastic back portion and a fabric front portion joined together end to end, said fabric portion being of double thickness, with complementary tie means fixed adjacent each pair of joined ends for adjusting and tensioning said band.

GENEVA D. SWINNEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 30,458 Arnold Apr. 4, 1899 500,609 Phillips July 4, 1893 1,636,516 Kops July 19, 1927 2,171,354 Bullinger Aug. 29, 1939 

